Garment-stretcher.



- Patented lan. I,4 i901. W. WALLACE.

GARMENT sTRETcHe'n. v

(Application led Feb. 14, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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iINiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WALLACE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GARM ENT-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,914, dated January 1, 1901.

Application filed February 14, 1900. Serial No. 5,143. (N0 model.)

To all whom, t 11mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM WALLACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trousers Stretchers and Pressers, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to trousers stretchers and presser-s; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class whereby trousers may be both stretched and pressed, efliciently removing the creases and misshapen lines therefrom. In devices of this class now in use stretching alone is mostly relied upon to accomplish the end in view, and the results obtained are not as satisfactory as are obtained by combining therewith stretching in simultaneous application.

My invention consists in the construction and, arrangement of parts hereinafter specied.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like reference characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a plan view of a trousers-stretcher constructed according to my invention, showing the parts in operative position; Fig. 2, an edge View thereof; Fig. 3, a similar View with the parts in altered relative positions; and Fig. 4, a transverse section upon the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, several of the parts being shown in full lines.

In the practice of my invention I provide a body portion comprising iive members 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, respectively, and each of which consists of a plate or board preferably plane and smooth upon one side. The body members 8 and 9 constitute'the lower members and are provided at their sides and adjacent an edge of each with hinge-plates 10, which are provided with knuckles 11, and the knuckles 11 are turnably connected at each side of the members 8 and 9 by pintles 12, whereby the members 8 and 9 are hinged together and 'foldable together in but one direction, the meeting edges of said members preventing reverse folding thereof. The body members 5, 6, and 7 constitute the upper members and are hinged together at 13 in a continuous series at opposite edges of the members 5 and 7. The side edges of each of the body members are formed convergent, whereby a total tapered formation of the body portion results, as shown in the drawings.

Fixed to the upper body member 7 is a transverse bar 14, and fixed to the upper meinber 6 are two spaced transverse bars 15 and 16. two spaced transverse bars 17 and 18, and fixed to the lower body member 8 are two spaced transverse bars 19 and 20. The transverse bars 14, 15, and 16 are arranged to register, respectively, with the transverse bars 17, 18, and 19 when the parts are in the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Each of the transverse bars 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 2O is provided at its ends with boltopenings 21, arranged to register, as shown in the drawings, whereby screw-bolts 22 may be passed therethrough to bind the several members together. The upper body member 6 is cut away segmentally at each side at 23 to receive the knuckles 11 of the hingeplates 10.

In placing the trousers 211m position in the above-described device one end thereof is engaged between the upper body member 7 and the lower body member 9, as shown in Fig. 3, and the said members are clamped together by means of the bars 14 and 17 and screwbolts 22 thereof. With the parts in this position the lower body vmember 8 is slightly raised into the position shown in Fig. 3, and the free end portion of the trousers is clamped between the body member 8 and a cross-bar 2l, which is secured in position by means of screw-bolts passing through the ends thereof and the ends of the cross-bar 20. The member 8 is then depressed into the plane of the member 9, and the member 6 is clamped to the members 8 and 9 by means of the crossbars 15, 16, 18, and 19 and screw-bolts 22. The major portion of the trousers is thus maintained in stretched position, being put under strain longitudinally by lowering the members 8, as above described. The crossbar 24 is then removed, the free end portion of the trousers is drawn tight by hand, and the member 5 is brought down into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and clamped in this position by passing two of the screw-bolts Fixed to the lower body member 9 are' IOO 22 through the ends of the cross-bars 2-1 and 20, the former of which is engaged with the upper side of the member 5. The several members are now all in line in extended po sition in the same plane, the upper members 5, 6, and 7 paralleling the lower members S and 9. The adjacent surfaces of the several body members are preferably plane and smooth, and the trousers are thus creased and evenly pressed therebetween. The screwbolts 22 may be tigb tened down to any suitable extent, and, if desired, the entire device with the trousers in position may be subjected to heat.

The entire device is simple in construction, positive in operation, and economical of space. When the device is in operation for the purpose set forth, it may, together with the trousers, be stored in a closet, stood up against a Wall, placed beneath a bed, or 0therwise conveniently disposed of.

I do not limit myself to the specific construction and arrangement of parts herein described, but reserve the right to vary the same within the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tc secure by Letters Patentl. The herein-described means for stretching and pressing trousers, comprising two members, a main and a supplemental, respectively, each of'whieh members consists of a plurality of plates or strips which are hinged together in a series in each of the members, means for clamping a firstplate of said main member to a first plate of said supplemental member, and clamping a portion of a garment therebetween, whereby the several plates of both of said members overlap each other at the hinged portions thereof to constitute the,

break-joints, means for clamping a portion of said garment to a second plate of said supplemental member, whereby the garment cony stitutes the base of a triangle with the said plates of said supplemental member as theA remaining sides, and means for clampiuga second plate of said main member to said second plate of said supplemental member, whereby the garment in stretched condition is clamped between said mem bers and pressed thereby, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein-described trousers stretcher and presser, comprising two members each of which consists of a plurality of plates or strips which are hinged together in a series in each of the members, and clamping devices whereby the said members may be secured together in parallel and respectively extended position, wherein the plates or strips constituting said members will overlap each other to form soY break-joints, said clamping means embodying a detachable clamping device which is engaged with one of the plates or strips of one of said members to initially bind a garment thereto, while stretching the same, and

which is finally detached from the respectiveV 

